West Virginia Code § 7-1-3jj

Authority of counties to enact ordinances restricting the location of
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
businesses offering exotic entertainment.
(a) For the purposes of this section:
(1) "Exotic entertainment" means live entertainment, dancing or other services conducted by
persons while nude or seminude in a commercial setting or for profit.
(2) "Seminude" means the appearance of:
(A) The female breast below a horizontal line across the top of the areola at its highest point,
including the entire lower portion of the human female breast, but does not include any
portion of the cleavage of the human female breast exhibited by a dress, blouse, skirt,
leotard, bathing suit or other wearing apparel provided the areola is not exposed, in whole
or in part; a
(B) A human bare buttock, anus, anal cleft or cleavlage, pubic area, male genitals, female
genitals or vulva, with less than a fully opaque covering; or
(C) A human male genital in a discernibly turgid state even if completely and opaquely
covered.
(b) A county commission may, by order entered of record, adopt an ordinance that limits the
areas of the county in which a business may offer "exotic entertainment". However, an
ordinance enacted pursuant to this section may not affect a business offering exotic
entertainment prior to the effective date of the ordinance.
(c) The ordinance is subject to the provisions of section ten, article seven, chapter eight-a of
this code: Provided, That in the event of the partial or total loss of any existing business
structure due to fire, flood, accident or any other unforeseen act, that business structure
may be repaired or replaced and the business use of that structure may continue
notwithstanding the existence of any ordinance authorized by this section. Any repair or
replacement is limited to restoring or replacing the damaged or lost structure with one
reasonably similar, or smaller, in size as measured in square footage, and any enlargement
of the business structure subjects the structure to any existing ordinance authorized by this
section.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, no ordinance enacted
pursuant to the provisions of this section applies to or affects any municipal corporation that
either: (1) Has adopted and has in effect an ordinance restricting the location of exotic
entertainment or substantially similar businesses pursuant to the authority granted in article
twelve, chapter eight of this code, or chapter eight-a of this code; or (2) adopts an ordinance
to exempt itself from any county ordinance enacted pursuant to this section.
(e) Any person adversely affected by an ordinance enacted pursuant to the authority granted
in subsection (b) of this section is entitled to seek direct judicial review with regard to
whether the ordinance impermissibly burdens his or her right to establish a business
offering exotic entertainment.

‹ Prev All West Virginia sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.